Epidemiology of rhinovirus under the COVID-19 pandemic in Guangzhou, China, 2020.

BACKGROUND

To analyze the epidemic characteristics of the human rhinovirus (HRV) outbreaks in Guangzhou, China, in 2020.

METHODS

Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the HRV-related outbreaks in Guangzhou, 2020.

RESULTS

Seventeen outbreaks were reported in 2020 during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Guangzhou, a total of 465 patients (290 males and 175 females) were enrolled, with a median age of 10. A total of 223 (47.96%) had been tested for HRV, 89 (39.91%) of which were positive; 344/465 (73.98%) had a fever, 138/465 (29.68%) had a runny nose, 139/465 (29.89%) had a sore throat, 86/465 (18.49%) had a cough, 41/465 (8.82%) had a headache, and 37/465 (7.96%) had a sneeze. Patients at age of 13-15 had the highest rate of sore throat and runny nose, patients aged 11-12 had the highest rate of sneezing, and patients at age of 12-14 had the highest rate of positive rate. Patients tested positive had a higher rate of fever (χ2  = 11.271, p = .001), cough (χ2  = 6.987, p = .008), runny nose (χ2  = 7.980, p = .005), and sneeze (χ2  = 4.676, p = .031).

CONCLUSION

The HRV was restored during the fighting of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conventional COVID-19 control measures were not effective enough in preventing rhinovirus. More appropriate control measures should be used to control HRV.